For the second year in a row, the Municipality of South Kynouria, under the auspices of the Region of Peloponnese and “Peloponnisos S.A.”, brought an ambitious venture to fruition. The 2nd Leonidio Climbing Festival (2-5 November 2017) was deemed a great success by everybody present. Τhe event’s main sponsor was Petzl, with the support of Marmot, Buff, and La Sportiva, among others.

The 2nd Leonidio Climbing Festival was part of a collaborative effort to promote the Leonidio Climbing Park and alternative tourism, showcase the region’s stunning natural beauty, and spread the word about its potential to a worldwide climbing audience.
The number of registered climbers, as well as participants in the Climbing Marathon, was noticeably higher this year. The countries most widely represented were Germany and France, followed by Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, Romania, Ukraine, Slovenia, Slovakia, Austria, Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Norway, Netherlands, United States, Sweden, Finland, and Australia.

Over the course of the 2nd Leonidio Climbing Festival, climbing stars Alexander Megos and Klemen  Bečan were outstanding, both on the rock and off; Vertical Life put together another successful Climbing Marathon and everybody’s favorite Zlagboard contest; there was yoga and climbing lessons for beginners; the premiere of a film about the legendary Marcel Remy, sill going strong at 94 years of age; exciting prizes for lucky winners, from climbing gear (ropes, harnesses, shoes, helmets, resoling) and local products to a grand prize of a 4-day, all-expenses-paid trip to Leonidio for two people; and a dance-filled Saturday night party with the band 48 Hours.

The indoor and outdoor spaces of the beautiful Fabbrica of Culture were the main venues for non-climbing events, and the best professional photographers and filmmakers captured it all.

The Festival’s organizing committee is grateful to all the wonderful people who contributed to the development of climbing in Leonidio. The success of the 2nd Leonidio Climbing Festival has fueled the enthusiasm of organizers, volunteers, and sponsors alike to make Leonidio one of the best-organized and safest climbing destinations worldwide, and to raise the bar even higher in the future. Heartfelt thanks go to each and every one of our supporters, and to all the climbers who traveled from near and far to celebrate climbing with us!

— The Organizing Committee of the Leonidio Climbing Festival